The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-03-31
OUR RURAL TOPICS,
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
FOR BEEKEEPERs.


ion of the court was to perpetually enjoin a
beekeeper from carrying on the business of an
apiary in village and adjacent to place
where the bees were a nuisance. 1t is not
known if bees injure crops by taking the
honey from the blossoms, but some farmers
have claimed that they do. 1t cannot be al
legged with reason and truth that farm crops
are usefully served by bees in the way of fer
tilizing the blossoms, although they may do
something in the way of spreading the pollen
from plant to plant. The air is filed with pol
len of prevailing plants, such as farm crops, at
their Towering season, and there are many
plants as corn. which is never or hardly ever
visited by the bees. Hence beekeepers have
no reason to claim that when their bees are
supplied by neighbor's crops they pay their
way by doing useful work in producing seed.
One large beekeeper pays the neighboring
farmers yearly rent for the pasturage of his
bees and this seems just for otherwise the bee
keepers reap where they have not sown and
gather where they have not strewn and make
their money from other mems labOrs. This is
a manifest injustice.
GROWING TOBACCO.
As the time for making tobacco beds has
come, it may be well for intending growers to
think of the disasters of the past season. The
majority of growers failed to make ends meet,
and some incurred considerable losses The
case of Kentucky planter who rented three
acres of land for S25 and had a surplus after
sale of only $1.6S to go toward the rent is .
typical one The supply is in excess of the
demand, and those who are thinking of plant
ing three acres this year would do we'll to con-
fine their work TO one acre. The more one has
just now to sell the poorer man he is and if
| another year brings the same experience there
will be no sale for large proportion of the
crop. This crop is a special one, for which
there is but one use; unlike a food crop, cheap
ness does not stimulate consumption and the
public prosperity. Hence the tobacco grower
had better grow some other crop which he can
consume at home usefully and profiably if it
should be unstable through excess.
TREATMENT OF A MARE IN FoAL.
The best treatment for a mare in fOal is to do
nothing, but leave her to the regular course of
nature. All that can be done is to keep her in
good healthful condition, not fat and not poor
The feeding should be good hay; Oat straw
may be given at times as a change. Oats quite
free from mustiness and of good quality should
be the staple food, with mess of dry bran or
bran mash every day. The bowels should be
kept rather loose. The mare should have ex-
ercise, but not hard work, and especially not
severe or jerky work, which requires sudden
effort. She should not be irritated or worried,
but kept free from excitement This should
be begun two or three months before the time
is up, and when the period approaches she
should be left at night in a roomy stall, well
Uttered with chatf.' Care should be exercised
that in rolling in the stable she should not get
caught; hence she should either have a large
stall, 10 feet square, or one only five feet wide,
in which she cannot roll 1t is better to leave
the mare to herself as il is very rare that any
help or attention is required.
NEW WELCOME OATS.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Since my last
| letter TO THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE | have re-
ceived many letters asking my opinion of what
kind of oats is the best for yielding. and if l
could sell some by the bushel. peck, etc.
| think the Welcome oats will outyield any other
variety. They have been thoroughly tested in
this County. They stool wonderfully; as many
as IL full-sized stalks, averaging four to five
| feet high, have been grown from one grain, and
each stalk has a beautiful head of oats, some
measuring % inches in length, and all filed
| with fine plump grains. Numerous heads have
200 grains and over. while the average is about
| 80 grains. No other variety of oats that L
ever saw will average over 100 grains in this
| locality. The soil is not very rich, and yields
| from "a to so bushels TO the acre, and some
| tDOEe. On BOOu flCn hUlt tney VIII NIClu
| l25 bushels | heard, but did not see il, that
| 1921 bushels have been made to the acre but
| that is an exception. You take the Russian or
| any other variety; they will weigh from % to
81 pounds to the bushel, while the Welcome
| weighs 30 pounds TO the bushel. 1t pays every
farmer to raise them, and those / sent 4 start
TO i would like for every one to take good care
of their oats, and would be glad to hear from
| every one next Fall to what success they
had. Please do not ask for bushel or peck,
for / cannot spare them. i have them almost
| all engaged TO my neighbors and farmers. But
my offer is still open TO those wishing to get q
start, by sending two 2-cent stamps in letter.
w. l.. FRoss, DOnnelsyille. D.
HOW CAN HENS BE PERSUADED.
Charles Robertson. Bristol, Pa, asks for a
receipt TO make hens lay. lie has 80 hens and
for six months has only had crop OF about two
eggs per day.
HOPS, FLAxsEED AND BEANS.
.. L. Beck, Warriors Mark, Pa, asks how
much hops, haxseed aud beans can be raised
to the acre. what kind of soil is required, and
what they will bring in market
NOTES.
One of the best supplementary feeds with
corn-fodder is wheat bran. Usually it can be
bought cheaply ut this season, and is even bet
ter in the Winter as supplementary feed fol
cows.
Rules for easy subjugatOn Of Canada
thistle are plentiful. but not practical. Every
attempt To eradicate this weed must be con
tinued through the entire season of growth, or
it will fail most surely and all its cost will be
wasted.
- Blue grass has the advantage of not run
ming out as long as it receives top dressing OF
manure annually. Ii does best on limestone
soils. but is grown in nearly all sections. Or.
chard grass is a variety that gives early pastur-
age, and can be grown where many other
grasses will not flourish.
No thrifty farmer will permit coarse weeds
thistles, bTiers or bushes OF any kind To grow
by the roadside adjoining his fields. One oil
two days work each year for two or three years
with a stout bush Soy the will cause these I'M
profitable varieties OF vegetation to give place
TO valuable grasses.
The great flow Of milk of cows Is truly
artificial. In u state OF nature the cow gives
only the necessarylquantity, and gives it only
the necessary time 10 sustain the calf. The
greater and longer yield of milk is the result
of better feeding. better treatment and longer
manipulation of the teats. Hence to increas,
the yield Of milk feed and milk we'll.
Mr.. Albaugh, of Miami County. o.. say.
that a grower there sOwed oats among his
grapes every Spring 10 prevent rot, and con
, sidered il success. Mr.. Miller (also of the
Summit County Horticultural Society soweC
copperas-about a pound TO a square rod-iI
his vineyard early in the Summer and AGAR
later. No rot has happened since this treat
ment.
The following preparation applied 10 thu
surface will prevent any rusting on plows o.
any other metal surfaces. Melt one ounce o